Channel Islands Sea Turtle Observer Network
The Sea Turtle Directory
Country: United States (contiguous)
Organization / Project Name: Channel Islands Sea Turtle Observer Network
Description: The Channel Islands Sea Turtle Observer Network (CISTON), which I developed and coordinate in cooperation with NOAA SWFSC as part of my PhD research, addresses a fundamental limitation in marine ecology, researchers cannot maintain continuous presence across the vast spatial and temporal scales where ecological processes unfold. Traditional survey methods provide rigorous but spatially and temporally limited snapshots. These include dedicated research vessels, aerial surveys, and acoustic monitoring. Meanwhile, thousands of people interact with coastal and offshore waters daily through commercial fishing, recreational diving, kayaking, whale watching, harbor operations, and surfing. These ocean users possess an unmatched collective observation capacity. Until recently, however, knowledge in this region has remained scattered and scientifically inaccessible. The network formalizes observation reporting across the Southern California Bight, from Dana Point to Santa Barbara from the mainland to the Channel Islands. It established standardized mechanisms for community members to contribute georeferenced sighting data, along with associated metadata including environmental conditions, behavior, photographs, and more. Participants include commercial and recreational fishers, kayak tour companies, whale watching vessels, National Park Service (NPS) naturalists, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) education staff, researchers at the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI), ReefCheck, and the Wrigley Marine Science Center, and independent ocean enthusiasts.
Species of focus: Olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea), Leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), Loggerheads (Caretta caretta), Green turtles (Chelonia mydas)
Volunteer program: Yes
Tourist activities (Y/N): Yes
Primary Areas of Work: Stranding response, Environmental education/community outreach, Community development, Policy, In water research